A woman who has pledged her life to finding a cure to childhood brain tumours has been awarded in the New Year’s Honours list.

Sue Farrington Smith, 59, who grew up in Harrow, has been honoured with an MBE for co-founding the charity “Ali’s Dream” that was named in memory of her niece.

Sue's sister, Julie and husband Gary Phelan of Stanmore, were devastated when they lost their daughter Alison, to an incurable brain tumour, just three weeks before her eighth birthday, in June 2001.

READ MORE:  Family of Stanmore girl call on Government to invest in brain tumour research​

The family of a seven-year-old who died of a brain tumour are calling on the Government to invest more in finding a cure.

Mrs Farrington Smith is a trustee of Ali’s Dream and has tirelessly campaigned to raise awareness and funds of childhood brain tumours since 2001, and with the support of her local MP John Bercow, now Speaker of the House of Commons, they established the All Party Parliamentary Group on brain tumours in 2005.

Mrs Farrington Smith said: “I cried when I heard the news. I was in shock, it is such a great honour.

“It made me realise the enormity of what has been achieved in the last 15 years, since we lost my sister’s little girl, Alison.

“Like so many others in the brain tumour community, my passion for this cause is driven by loss. Not a day goes by when I don’t think about Ali. Seeing the devastation of Ali’s parents, Julie and Gary, because they couldn’t save their little girl drove me to try to make a difference.

"I was so proud and humbled by Julie and Gary that they wanted to start the charity, Ali’s Dream, to raise money for research into childhood brain tumours, so soon after we lost her.”

Ali’s Dream and other founding brain tumour charities launched Brain Tumour Research in In April 2009. This national charity has grown into a multi-million-pound organisation under Mrs Farrington Smith’s leadership, with the establishment of four dedicated Brain Tumour Research Centres of Excellence.

She has also co-authored three reports into national research funding, produced the ‘Invest in a Cure’ manifesto and launched the charity’s annual Wear A Hat Day.

Alison’s mother, Julie Phelan, who works at St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School in Harrow, where Ali and her two older brothers attended, said: “When Ali was diagnosed with a brain tumour our whole world came crashing down, and it was followed by ten months of hell on earth.

“Our whole family united in grief with a determination to do something, establishing the charity Ali’s Dream to raise vital funds for research into childhood brain tumours so that a cure can be found sooner rather than later.

"We are delighted to hear that Aunty Suey is to receive an MBE – it is a wonderful tribute to Ali.”

For more information on Ali’s dream visit the website.